?A Palestinian woman demonstrating in Ramallah against the death of a detainee in Israeli jail, (WAFA Images / Baha Nasr) 

RAMALLAH, Tuesday, July 16, 2019 (WAFA) – The untimely death of Nassar Majed Taqatqa, 31, who died earlier today in solitary confinement at the Nitzan prison in Israel reflects the prevalent culture of impunity in Israel, which has been reinforced by decades of lack of accountability for systematic abuses of Palestinian rights and crimes against protected persons, including Palestinian detainees and prisoners, .today said Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

The Palestinian leadership holds Israel legally and morally responsible for Taqatqa’s death.

“Over the past five decades, international human rights organizations have thoroughly documented Israel‘s systematic and widespread human rights violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the rights of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including the use of torture, physical and psychological abuse. Collectively, Palestinian prisoners are the victims of a racist, colonial machine designed and maintained to ensure the oppression and subjugation of the Palestinian people through the use of mass incarceration,” she said.

“For too long, the international community has entertained Israel‘s willful campaign of dehumanization and pervasive abuses against Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including minors as young as 12 years of age. States have stayed silent at the Israeli system of oppression, including the sham military courts,   thus emboldening Israel to continue and escalate its crimes. With the death of Mr. Taqatqa, the number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees who died or were executed while detained by Israeli rises to 220,” added Ashrawi.

“In this regard, we affirm that continued international silence about these crimes is morally and legally inexcusable and amounts to tacit approval,” stressed the PLO official, adding, “The Palestinian leadership calls for an independent investigation into the death of Mr. Taqatqa and other Palestinian prisoners. Further, we reaffirm that Israel must release all Palestinian detainees and prisoners, including children and elected official, and be held legally and politically accountable for its systematic criminal conduct against the Palestinian people.”

Ashrawi extended on behalf of the Palestinian leadership “our deepest sympathies to Nassar‘s family and friends and to the Palestinian people and share their grief for this tragic loss of life.”

Nassar Taqatqa was detained by Israeli forces on 19 June during an overnight raid of his home in Beit Fajjar near Bethlehem. His detention was extended three times, while Taqatqa‘s lawyer was barred from having contact with him. He was moved to solitary confinement in Nitzan prison in Ramleh roughly a week before his passing.

M.K.